Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Case Analysis Crisis Counseling - 2024 Words

To be honest, I have had no formal training in counseling. In fact, because of an unproductive experience in a psychology class in college, I have not been looking forward to attending class. I was content with just using common sense, and personal experiences to assist parishioners in coping with specific situations affecting their lives. I knew God had prepared me for my job as pastor, but when I read Webb’s book, â€Å"Crisis Counseling in the Congregation†, I realized that this book would prove useful in facilitating me in becoming a better counselor. When I was assigned to Rivers Chapel as a pastor, I used strategies I had learned, in the classroom, and on my previous jobs in counseling, which were common sense and life experiences. But now, after reading â€Å"Crisis Counseling in the Congregation†, I can perceive where common sense and personal experience would have been more productive if I had had a better understanding of the techniques Webb introd uced in his basis toolbox. After reading Webb’s book, I know I can be a better counselor for my parishioners, their families, and my own family. Webb’s three categories of the tools in his â€Å"The Basic Toolbox† were knowledge, skills and attitudes. As I read this chapter, I could reflect on my common sense and life experiences connecting with these three categories. My actions in this section mirrored those techniques used in my first counseling session. The first counseling session I conducted as a pastor was with a coupleShow MoreRelatedNeeds Assessment Paper1214 Words   |  5 PagesFour Feathers Counseling LLC. Four Feathers Counseling was established on November 2, 2008 by Teresita Tirona LPC and Bruce Hatch MFT. Four Feathers Counseling is currently responsible for providing therapeutic needs for provider agencies such as Colorado Division of Youth Corrections, Colorado Department of Human Services (El Paso, Teller, Pueblo, Arapaho, Denver and Douglas Counties) and some insurance agencies such as Tri Care, Medicaid and Value Options. Four Feathers Counseling also receivesRead MoreChristian: Crisis T rauma Essays1238 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Ashley Meadows Essay Question: Response Liberty University – CRIS 605 Crisis counseling is an aspect of crisis resolution in which emphasis is placed on the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral consequences within a particular crisis. Psychotherapy is a tool that uses a helping process in order to change a person’s feelings as well as patterns of thought and behaviors. This can take place over short, brief periods or long term if determined is necessaryRead MoreClient and Counselor Safety for Mental Health Counselors Essays925 Words   |  4 Pagesdiagnosis. It is also favorable to say that mental health counselors wear many hats when working with their clients who can experience different crisis on a day to day basis. When mental health counselors work with various clients during their career, they need to practice confidentiality and privacy when conducting one-on-one, group, or any type of counseling services. Like any medical patient, mental health clinicians need to treat their clients with dignity and respect. It is extremely importantRead MoreLegal And Ethical Practices Of Adolescent Counseling1252 Words   |  6 PagesLegal and Ethical Practices in Adolescent Counseling As a 15-yearold â€Å"at risk† adolescent, Manual recently reported feeling extreme depression and admitted that he no longer cared about living. In order to provide useful counseling support to Manuel, J. McWhirter, B. McWhirter, E. McWhirter, and R. McWhirter (2013) provide a list of legal and ethical considerations that serve as a guidelines during interventions. These suggestions include counselors’ documenting the incident and any interventionRead MoreBridgestone1363 Words   |  6 Pagesincrease profit are: Decrease employee salary expenses Decrease discretionary fixed costs Increase and maintain the level of service volume Reduce variable costs Increase service rates Setup off-campus programs 4. A useful component of CVP analysis is the margin of safety for service revenue that can be calculated as a dollar amount or as a percentage. What is Bridgestone’s projected margin of safety for next year? Interpret your answer in terms of what it means to Dr. Russell. Margin of safetyRead MoreSyllabus Essay1480 Words   |  6 Pagesstrategically maneuver their firms through uncertainty to better prospects in the market place. You will be encouraged to integrate insights learned in your business curriculum in understanding the firm as an entity. You will, through the readings, analysis, group activities and discussions in class develop your ability to think strategically. Learning Assurance Process: The learning assurance process is an SBA initiative to continuously assess and improve the quality of the SBA’s undergraduate andRead MoreFamily Group Conferencing As A Method Of Intervention Essay1355 Words   |  6 Pagesof their child and also discuss the best way of supporting their family. The people closely work together in order to help find the victims the best decision for their problem. This consists of four stages, which are 1. Referral – where the case of the family is presented to the concerned officials. The officials then assign a member of an agency or a social worker. 2. Preparation – The worker then meets with the family members and understands their problems and situations and thenRead MoreIntervention Studies on Forgiveness Journal Article 1 Essay example1190 Words   |  5 PagesLiberty University Summary In the journal article titled â€Å"Intervention Studies on Forgiveness† by Thomas W. Baskin and Robert D. Enright is a meta-analysis study on interventions that are conducted to determine if the interventions that are being utilized are effective when it comes to forgiveness. In the early case studies it was â€Å"suggested that forgiveness might be helpful for people who have experienced deep emotional pain† (Baskin Enright, 2004, p. 79). A forgiveness interventionRead MoreNursing Care for the Terminal Breast Cancer Patient Community1470 Words   |  6 Pagesuniqueness of the patient and his experience maybe for the first time. She allays their sorrow by sharing it while providing the details of care. B. Strategies for the Quality of Life of Mr. and Mrs. Smith One is active grief and bereavement counseling for the couple (Manghrani Kapadia, 2006). Another is strengthening of hospice and palliative care. And a third is helping Mrs. Smith fulfill her last wishes. The first strategy prepares the couple for Mrs. Smiths death so that they may learnRead MoreAnalysis of Business Specialties1082 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Business Specialties Team Achieve identified three different potential types of consulting firms in our first meeting. We have since decided on the strategic model of consultancy. The new strategic consultancy firm will be named Achieve after the team. As a strategic firm Achieve will have the benefit of founding members with varied professional backgrounds. The drawback to the strategic format without a specialty niche is the need for continual refocus of team efforts to ensure

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Characteristics of Managers and Leaders - 1362 Words

Curtin University Bentley Management – 100 Individual Essay Semester 1 2012 Student Name: Dhanshree Rajegaonkar Student ID: 16159493 Email: dhanshree.rajegaonkar@gmail.com Every organisation need a good business structure, and the make the organisation successful they need a combination of experienced and skilled people; Managers and Leaders are some of the key people to make an organization successful. Some managers are leaders and some leaders are managers but essentially the characteristics of a manager and leader are very different (Benson 2003). There are managers and leaders in every profession, they both need to build their experience and gain the knowledge and skills to help them effectively carry out the responsibility.†¦show more content†¦M.-L. Bartol 2011). * Managers just administer things and are tactical (T. M.-L. Bartol 2011) which allows them to select appropriate tactics for achieving business aims and goals (Answers - what is tactical management? n.d.). Leaders are strategic and transform people (T. M.-L. Bartol 2011) and their mindsets to best achieve business strategies. * Managers do things right (T. M.-L. Bartol 2011), they administer, maintain and ask how and when, whilst leaders do the right things, they innovate, develop and ask what and why (Bennis 2009). * Managers are focused on efficiency (T. M.-L. Bartol 2011), they emphasize on making committed effort towards utilising limited resources in the best way possible (Constantine n.d.). Leaders are focused more on effectiveness; they connect well with others and are open to diversification (Castle n.d.). * Managers create policies so they can have a uniform and consistent outcome, whilst leaders establish principles (T. M.-L. Bartol 2011). * Managers focus of answers and solutions without regard what the actual problem is but leaders actually focus on problem identification and implementing strategies to eliminate the problems (T. M.-L. Bartol 2011). As mentioned above we can see that managers and leaders are two very different roles; managers are authoritarians, they have subordinates whilst leaders are not and they usually do not have subordinates. A manager is a person who is vestedShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics Of A Leader And Manager899 Words   |  4 Pagesa tremendous leader and manager, he did not micromanage, he put players and peers first, and made you excited to come to work. This coach is very similar to Ben Morelli. The second coach I worked for micromanaged people, constantly barked out orders, and put himself in front of others. He was very similar to Phil Jones. All companies want that perfect mix between a good manager and leader. However, that is often hard to find. When it comes down to it, a manager who is a good leader will be more effectiveRead MoreCharacteristics of Managers and Leaders1568 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Characteristics of Managers and Leaders: The concepts of leadership and management are viewed differently by different people though managers and leaders are important in management. Some people view these terms as synonyms and use them interchangeably in sentences and phrases while others consider them to be extreme opposites. Actually, people who consider the terms as quite different argue that its nearly impossible to be a good leader and a good manager at the same time. Nonetheless, thereRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Leader Or Manager919 Words   |  4 PagesBecoming a leader or a manager is the utmost ambition for many people in the business and management sector nowadays. At times, it can be quite challenging therefore there are many essential qualities that a leader or manager need. Management is the attainment of organisational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organising, leading and controlling the organisational resources (Daft and Marcic, 8th Edition). Leadership on the other hand is the ability to inspire confidenceRead MoreExecute an Analysis of Managers or Leaders in Your Organisation on the Basis of the Leadership Grid as Was Propounded by Jane Morton and Robert Black. the Characteristics-Traits Used to Classify the Managers – Leaders Should Be Established.3109 Words   |  13 PagesDATE 5/09/12 Execute an analysis of managers or leaders in your organisation on the basis of the leadership grid as was propounded by Jane Morton and Robert Black. The characteristics-traits used to classify the managers – leaders should be established. 1. Introduction It is important to understanding how organisations are managed, how activities of people are directed towards achievement of objectives and goals of the organisation. Managers and leaders are different but have complementary activitiesRead MoreLeadership Styles And Financial Performance Of Hospitality Management901 Words   |  4 PagesLEADERSHIP IN HOSPITALITY MANGAEMENT In a hotel business there is a certain type of focus that each manager needs to have in order for them to properly achieve the goal of running the business. The success of a hospitality manager is on the dependence of how they lead and manager their personnel. In the article of the â€Å"Leadership Style and Financial Performance Riddle in the Lodging Industry: What is the Best Fit?† It focuses on the leadership styles and financial performance of the hospitalityRead MoreKnowledge And Shows Emotional Intelligence Through Humility Essay1384 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough humility. A successful manager must be able to balance practical knowledge with emotional intelligence. Professionalism - the expert knowledge, skills, and specific behavior that guide a worker (Batool, Khattak, Saleem, 2016) - must be paired with a clear understanding of behavioral knowledge. This assists the leader in rallying their employees to execute a shared vision. Within this framework, a characteristic that can enhance the effectiveness of a manager is humility. A contemporary viewRead MoreThe Roles Of A Leader1081 Words   |  5 Pagesothers are doing. But as much as overseeing can sound too non-hands on activity, leadership has serious involvement and happens to be a very serious role. Our manager of a branch of Toyota shops In Saudi Arabia defines his leadership roles as simply making sure the Toyota cars get sold to the car market. This is basically the role of a manager, to effect the main purpose of any company as set by the owners. However, when the role is being put into act ion it becomes a very wide field that breaks downRead MoreDifference Between Men And Women1445 Words   |  6 PagesA preeminent manager should posess admirable management abilities. Gardner (1995, cited in Werhane and Painter-Morland, 2011:1) states leaders as, ‘individuals who significantly influence the thoughts, behaviors, and/or feelings of others’. Even though male managers still account for the larger proportion, there is growing number of women taking the place of men in leadership nowadays. There was only 1 female CEO in the Fortune 500 companies in 1996, the number were raised to 12 in 2010 and raisedRead MoreLeadership And Management : Leadership835 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership Verses Management The world is made up of leaders and managers. There are leaders and managers in every aspect of life. In many instances leadership and management are referred to as being the same. This paper will evaluate the differences between leadership and management. In today s organizations, leaders and managers are needed in order to operate successfully. Even though managers and leaders are different, they both have many similarities that will be discussed in this paperRead MoreEthical And Moral Behavior And Christian World View1278 Words   |  6 Pagesrelates to my expectation of what a manager in a leadership position should posses and why. Growing up in a African-American Baptist church and ultimately landing in a diverse Christian Church has shaped my life and viewpoint when it comes to values and beliefs. There are 5 characteristics that I believe a Manager should possess: Authenticity, transparency, empowering, trustworthy and competence. These five characteristics help to buil d rapport and trust in a manager, which are good qualities to possess

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Church Reform Essay Example For Students

Church Reform Essay The Reformation of European religion in the 16th century cannot be generally attributed to the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance. Although the peasants saw bishops and abbots as part of a wealthy and oppressive ruling class and rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church for reasons primarily pertaining to the lavish adornments used by those aforementioned, their power was not great enough, nor did their reasons carry enough clout to start a reformation movement throughout Europe: that job was accomplished by those already having some, however small, social or religious power, such as the monk Martin Luther, the accomplished priest and lawyer Jean Cauvin, and King Henry VIII of England. The Lutheran and Calvinist Reformations were very similar in principle, although the Lutheran Reformation was less widespread. Luther and Calvin held that not mere abuses of the Roman Catholic Church needed correcting, but that the Catholic Church itself was wrong in principle. Luthers cause fo r reformation of 16th century European religion came from his unnatural paranoia that he was damned. He had problems convincing himself that his spirit was pure and that he would go to heaven; internal distress raged within him about the awful omnipotence of God, his own insignificant existence in comparison, and his apprehensiveness of the devil. His personal problems would not yield to the existing manners of assuring oneself that he/she was headed for heaven such as sacraments, alms, prayer attendance at Mass, and assorted good works. Luther solved the problem, however, by believing that good works were the consequence and external evidence of an inner grace, but in no way the cause of this grace. He felt that if one had faith in themselves, the religion, and God, then good works would manifest themselves because of it. This was Luthers doctrine of justification by faith. Luther was then involved in various events that provided for the spreading of Lutheranism, albeit sometimes i ndirectly. The agitation that Lutheranism was creating throughout Europe had revolutionary side effects where the reforming religious spirit was mistaken for that of a social and economic one, especially in Germany in the 1520s. A league of imperial knights, adopting Lutheranism, attacked their neighbors, the church-states of the Rhineland, hoping by annexations to enlarge their own meager territories. In 1524, the peasants of a large part of Germany revolted due to thoughts stirred up by preachers that took Luthers ideas a little too far: anyone could see for himself what was right. The peasants aims dealt not with religion, however. They demanded a regulation of rents and security of common village rights and complained of exorbitant exactions and oppressive rule by their manorial overlords. Luther, in seeing his original intentions fractured for other uses, redefined his position more conservatively. Nonetheless, Lutheranism spread throughout the Scandinavian and Baltic regions a s well as Germany. Lutheranism was closely associated with established states, inhibiting its widespread acceptance. The most widely accepted form of Protestantism was Calvinism, to be discussed shortly hereafter. It is apparent, however, that the Lutheran Reformation was clearly not because of the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance, but more because of the personal conviction of a apprehensive monk. At the age of 24, John Calvin, a Frenchman born Jean Cauvin, experienced a sudden conversion; a fresh insight into the meaning of Christianity. He joined forces with the religious revolutionaries of whom the best known was then Luther. His book, Institutes of the Christian Religion, appealed to human reason itself. If dissatisfied with the Roman church, people of all countries could find an idea that would most appropriately fit their beliefs or the situation they were in. In general, Calvin was in agreement with Luthers criticisms of the Roman church and Luthers fundamental religious ideas, such as justification by faith and not by works. However, the two differed in the area of Catholic Mass. Although both of them rejected transubstantiation, Luther maintained that God was somehow actually present in the bread and wine used in the service while Calvin regarded it as an act of symbolic nature. Calvin also took exception to two other areas that Luther did not touch on: the idea of pr edestination and Calvinisms attitude toward society and state. Calvin felt that God, being Almighty, knew and willed in advance all things that happened, including the way in which every life would turn out. He knew and willed, from all eternity, that some were saved and some were damned. Calvin, being a severe critic of human nature, felt that an elite few were saved. One could believe in his own mind that he was among the saved, Gods chosen few, if throughout all trials and temptations he persisted in a saintly life. Thus, the idea of predestination became a challenge to unrelenting effort, a sense of burning conviction, a conviction of being on the side of that Almighty Power which must in the end be everlastingly triumphant. Only the most resolute people were attracted to Calvinism. Calvinists, like Jesuits, were militant, uncompromising, perfectionist. Calvinists also believed that true Christians, the elect or saved, should Christianize the state. They would not be recognized as subordinate to the state. Calvinists hoped to remake society into a religious community. In rejecting the institution of bishops, Calvinists felt that the church should be governed by presbyteries and devout laymen, breaking up the monopoly of priestly power and promoting secularization. At the same time, however, they were trying to Christianize all of society (see Forward). The wide adoption of Calvinism came mainly from groups who found Calvins Institutes to be a method of organization. Because of Calvinisms instrumental role in the development of democracy and the Institutess ability to appeal to a large audience, Calvinism spread throughout Europe, although in places like Germany where Lutheranism had already taken root it was scorned by those who had already reformed (another paradox between the similar religions, see Forward). Another instrumental religion during the Reformation had formed due to religious differences with the Catholic church. .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 , .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .postImageUrl , .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 , .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:hover , .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:visited , .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:active { border:0!important; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:active , .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328 .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9cdb74854005d4d28d263af6ebe86328:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The computer industry is flourishing because of the advent of new, powerful processors EssayThroughout both of these major reformations, England remained virtually unchanged, most likely due to its rather remote location in relation to the rest of Europe. Englands religious orientation changed, however, because of a reason completely unrelated to those of personal conviction or in revolt to the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance. In fact, Henry VIII prided himself on his Roman Catholic orthodoxy. In response to some whisperings about the stir being made by Luther in the 1520s, Henry wrote a Defense of the Seven Sacraments in refutation, for which the pope gave him t he title of Defender of the Faith. The reason for the change of religion in England was for the simple fact of a lack of a male heir to the throne. Henry felt that an heir was essential, especially when one recalled the anarchy from which the Tudor dynasty had extricated England. Because his existing wife, Catherine of Aragon was old and unable to have a child, Henry asked the pope to annul his marriage to her so that he may marry someone else and have a son. The pope, however, would not annul the marriage due to the fact that Catherine was the aunt of Emperor Charles V, whom the pope was in no position to offend. Henry had no patience for the pope to balk at such a request when demands for other annuls had been made in the past. He drove matters forward, putting in a new archbishop of Canterbury, broke off connections with the Roman church, named himself Protector and Only Supreme Head of the Church and Clergy of England, and married Anne Boleyn. Thus, in one fell swoop, the situat ion had been alleviated. Henrys original intent was to maintain the Catholic practices while taking control of the religious situation of his country. However, in 1536, he forcibly suppressed a predominantly Catholic rebellion. The practice of continuing Catholic doctrines under a different leader would not last long in England, as many people in England began to favor one or another of the ideas of Continental Reformers. Upon 10-year old Edwards, Henrys son, succession to the throne, Protestantism became the religion in England. However, Edward died a short time later and was succeeded by his older half-sister, Mary, a devout Roman Catholic. She tried to re-institute the Roman church in England and made it more unpopular in the process. Upon her death, Elizabeth, Anne Boleyns daughter, took the throne and England became Protestant once more. Englands Reformation was associated the least with the Italian Renaissance, making it a perfect example of the non-factor that the secular spi rit of the Renaissance was. The 16th Century Reformations represented a significant wave of change for all of Europe subsequent to the Italian and Northern Renaissances. However, the various Reformations of 16th century Europe by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and King Henry VIII of England had little or nothing to do with the worldly and decided non-religious attitude of the Italian Renaissance.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Reflective Account of a Literature Search Essay Example

Reflective Account of a Literature Search Essay Based on Gibbs reflective cycle The second part of my assignment was to conduct a literature search, and describe how I went about it. Week 3 of my first module Study Skills And Lifelong Learning, comprised of a session on literature searching. We were shown the university database Discovery, and Heather our course leader proceeded to explain, step by step how we can access this, on campus or from any location off campus. Discovery is a facility that allows you to search for books and journals from numerous Learning Information Services (LIS). Because the first part of my assignment was to write an essay on reflection, I used key words relevant to this topic. First of all I typed in the word reflection, but that gave me 19,065 hits. Heather advised us to be more specialised in our search, by using words that would narrow it down. I then decided to put in reflective practise in nursing, this made a huge difference and after narrowing it down even more, I ended up with 12 hits relevant to what I wanted. I felt it took me a lot longer than everyone else to get used to the system, and because the class was quite noisy, at times i was unable to hear what Heather was saying. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Account of a Literature Search specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Account of a Literature Search specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Account of a Literature Search specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I did ask another student to explain certain things to me, but I felt I was distracting them from their own studies. By the end of the session I felt no clearer about doing a literature search on my own. Even though I had narrowed my search down to 12 hits, this had happened with help from another student, and I didn’t feel confident enough to know how to go about it on my own. I felt confused and overwhelmed, but I was too embarrassed to stay behind and ask for more help. Fortunately we had all been given a hand-out as well, to enable us to keep practising in our own time. When I got home I looked through the booklet, and found after reading it several times it began to sink in, I got straight back on the computer and accessed the search engine immediately. After numerous attempts, I found it was beginning to make sense, the stress and tension I felt earlier that day was beginning to subside. I decided I needed more help with literature searching, as it is an important study skill, and one that I will need to improve, and be competent at, for the next two years and beyond. I found the telephone number, for the library services department at the hospital where I work. I phoned them straight away and spoke to the head librarian. He advised me to undertake, two 1hour sessions on accessing databases I booked myself on the course for the following week. I felt I had done something constructive, and that made me feel more positive. I had asked for help instead of burrowing my head in the sand, which is how I usually react when things become more challenging. As a mature student, studying hasn’t come easy to me, as I’m sure it hasn’t to most of the other mature students. I didn’t realise prior to starting the foundation degree, how much studying it actually involved. I feel overwhelmed most of the time, learning new study skills like literature searching, referencing, academic writing and numerous others, are not things I’ve ever had to contend with before. I realise I need all these skills and many more, to succeed on this course. The only way I am going to improve, is by accessing all the help that is available, and there is a lot of help, on the university campus alone. By nature I am not a confident, outgoing person, and I feel this negative trait hinders me a lot of the time. When I think back to the session on literature searching, I could have made things a lot easier for myself. I should have sat at the front, or nearer the front, so I could have heard what Heather was saying. If I’d asked questions when I was unsure of something, I wouldn’t have fallen behind, but instead I kept quiet, and didn’t interact with the class, as I should have done. I try to keep myself motivated, by surrounding myself with books relevant to helping me improve my computer skills. Unfortunately I then find myself reading for hours on end, but taking in very little. When I did the Guide To Learning Styles (VARK) questionnaire on line, the results indicated I was a kinaesthetic learner. This means I learn better from practise or simulation, therefore watching a demonstration, or a video, would be of more benefit to me, than reading a book over and over again. This is especially true in this instance, knowing my computer skills were weak; I should have enrolled on a relevant course, prior to commencing the foundation degree. This would have given me, grounding in the basic skills required, and allowed me to improve them gradually over time. Instead I have become wary and even fearful, of information technology, to such a degree I find myself running away from it. As I reflect back on this module, my biggest barrier to future learning is myself. In order to improve and succeed at becoming an assistant practitioner, I must face my fears and embrace them. I will ask for help, as and when I need it. I will utilise the resources on web CT, and use anything that can help me achieve these goals, every learning opportunity that will benefit me. I will look into addressing my confidence issues, and what courses are available to improve these. I must learn not to be intimidated by other students, if I need to ask for help. I know that as my confidence grows, my knowledge and education will advance. Although I am not competent when using the computer, I will endeavour to improve this. As for literature searching, I’m sure once I’ve been shown by the librarian several times how to do it, I will find the whole process less daunting. All these study skills and others that I have been shown in this module, will I’m sure, become second nature to me as I progress through university. In summing up that day on literature searching, things didn’t go well from the beginning. I was already apprehensive to begin with, just the idea of sitting at a computer, in a room full of other students, made me feel anxious and uncomfortable. I should have sat near the front, and interacted more in the class, by asking questions. Looking back I’ve learnt a lot, mostly about myself. I need to develop and improve my IT skills , this is my major stumbling block, and in order to learn and develop, I must use the computer effectively. I now see the internet as my most valuable asset, and therefore I feel less stressed about my future learning needs.